Adjustable and collapsible crutch



Sept. 5, 1939. s. A. JACOBUCCI ADJUSTABLE AND COLLAPSIBLE CRUTCH Filed May :51, 1958 all! Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNITE-D STATES ADJUSTABLE ANDI COLLAPSIBLE CRUTCH Silvey A. Jacobuc'ci, Upland, Calif., assigner of one-third to MaryE. Jones, Ontario, Calif.

Appucanon May s1, 1938, serial N0. 210,918

3` Claims.

This invention has for an object the pro-Vision `f an improved crutch which may be easily and accurately 'adjusted to suit children or adults of large or small stature, and also readily colklapsed into small compass for a convenient placement in position of rest or storage in theaters, automobiles and lconiined spaces, or for use as a cane or walking stick.

Another object of this invention is tol provide a crutch of the character described which may be quickly and easily extended from collapsed position into position for use without necessitating adjustment to suit the particular user.

Another object" of this invention is to provide -an adjustable and collapsible crutch having a latch or detent which will automatically lock the crutch parts in a predeterminedposition when such parts `are relatively extended, it being possible to conveniently adjust and set certain elements whereby upon extension of the ycrutch epartsto position of use, the hand grip will'be 'disposed at different predetermined heights to best suit'the particular user.

Yet another object is to provide a crutch of the character described which readily lends itself to a simple, inexpensive, light-weight, strong and durable all-*metal construction.

A further object is to provide a simple and efficient means for lengthening or lshortening the crutch vand a likewise eicient means for adjusting the hand grip, both of said means being subject to ready operation by the user of the crutch without use of special tools or requiringr mechanical skill.

f I have shown inthe accompanying drawing a preferred form of an .adjustable and collapsible crutch, embodying my invention, subject however, to modification within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawing:l

Fig 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a crutch made in accordance with this invention and as when extended;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the crutch as when collapsed;

Fig. 3 is 4an enlarged fragmentary detail View of the length adjusting means, partly in vertical section and partly in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on the plane of line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary edge View of the upper part of the crutch;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the plane of line 6--6 of Fig. 5 and (Cil. --50) Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken on the plane of line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

'Oneembodiment of the crutch of this invention vgenerally comprises a frame-like upper section A, a staff-like lower section B slidably joined thereto, a cross head C xed to said lower section and slidable on the upper section, automatic latching means D rembodied in said upper section and said cross head, and a length adjusting means E rprovided in the lower Vportion of said io lowersection.

As here shown, the upper section A comprises a suitable arm pit rest I and a V-shaped cross member Z'joined by spaced tubular upright niembers 3. The members 3 are rotatably mounted on f5 bosses-4 and 5 carried by said rest and said cross vmember and whereby to selectively p-resent in `opposed relation to one another, openings of the setsS, 'I and 8. Set screws 9 and I8 provide for securing the members 3 to said bosses.

The lower section B includes a tubular kstaff Il slidable in a sleeve portion I?. of the cross 'member 2 and secured to by means of .a set screw I3 to a boss I4 on the cross head C.

I'he cross head C' includes sleeves I5 slidable 215 on the members 3 and joined at their upper and lower ends by a grip member I6 and a tubular latch carrying member Il, from which latter the lboss I4 extends. Slidable in the tubular "member Il so as to be extended therefrom by a `30 spring I8 into the opposed openings of the sets of openings 6, 'I 4and 8, are latchA bolts I8. Handles I9 carried by said bolts extend thru slots 20 in the member I1 so as to be operable below the latter for retracting said bolts Il. The handles are 35 screwed into the bolts and are therefore removable. In this connection it is noted that the lower ends of the sleeves I5 are cut away or Y bevelled as at 20', whereby to facilitate insertion .and removal of the bolts I8 and spring I8 when 40 said sleeves are removed. from the members 3.

By turning the members 3 to present the openings of any one of the several sets 6, 1 and 8 in opposed relation, it being noted that these sets are spaced circumferentially and also in diierent horizontal planes, provision is made for disposing the grip I6 in different positions to suit children or adults of different stature. When adjusted as desired the set screws 9 and IB are set so as to 50 hold the upper section assembled and the members 3 in the predetermined position.

When the crutch is collapsed, as shown in Fig.

2, it lies in small compass and may be conveniently placed or heldin a position of rest in a theatre, 55

automobile or other conned space, or may be used in this form as a walking stick.

When it is desired to use the crutch in the usual manner, the operator grasps the cross head C in one hand and with the other hand merely pulls upwardly on the upper section. When the bolts I8 register with the openings of the sets 6, 1 and 8, which are disposed in position to receive said bolts, the spring I8 forces said bolts into said openings and thereby automatically locks the crutch sections in extended position best suited to the particular User. ment of the bolts with the sides of the members 3 will prevent unintentional movement of the crutch sections out of collapsed position and thus the latch means is, in effect, operative when the crutch is collapsed', as well as when extended.

While the adjustment afforded by turning the members 3 with respect to the latch bolts provides for a slight variation in the overall length of the crutch, the means D embodied in the lower part of the staff i i makes possible adjustments whereby the crutch is adaptable for use by children and adults of all sizes. As here provided this means includes an extensible staff section 2| of tubular form and telescoped by the staiT I I. This extensible section is split longitudinally as at 22 from the upper end thereof, so as to provide expansible jaw portions 23 adapted to frictionally engage the staff il and thereby hold the extensible section in adjusted position, aided by the transverse notches 24. A nut 25 is mounted in the bore of the extensible section 2| so that wedge shaped portions 2S thereof will engage between and force apart the jaw portions 23, when an adjusting screw 2l is appropriately turned.Y This screw extends thru the bore of the member 2l and its head 28 is engaged with a washer 29 at the lower end of said member while the threaded end thereof is turned in said nut. A spring 30 engaged between the nut 25 and a shoulder 3| on the screw 2l operates to return the nut to normal position when the screw is turned to allow the jaw portions to return to normal position. VA rubber cap 32 is frictionally held on the lower end of the stair H or extension 2l, as the case may be, and conceals the head of the screw.

I claim: l. A collapsible crutch comprising an arm pit rest, a cross member, spaced upright members se- The rictional engagecured to and' rigidly joining said rest and said cross member, a staff slidably supported by said cross member, a crosshead xed to said stair, slidably mounted on said upright members and having a portion servingas a hand grip, means embodied in said crosshead and said upright members for releasably holding said upright members and said stac against relative sliding movement, said means including a tubular member carried by said crosshead below said grip portion, bolts slidab-le in and extensible from said tubular member, .and a spring for extending said bolts, said upright members having openings adapted to receive said' bolts.

2. A crutch comprising an arm pit rest, a cross member having a sleeve portion between its ends, upright members secured to and rigidly joining said rest and said cross member and being rotatable relative thereto, said upright members having openings at circumferentially and longitudinally spaced points thereof, adapted to be brought into opposed relation upon rotation of said upright members, means for holding said members against rotation, sleeves slid'able on said upright members, a hand grip member secured to and extended between said sleeves, a tubular member secured to and extendedl between said sleeves at a point spaced below said grip member, latch bolts slidably supported in said tubular member, spring means operative to force said bolts into said openings, and a stair member slidable in said sleeve portion and xed at its upper end to saidV tubular member.

3. A collapsible crutch comprising an upper section, a staff slidably joined to said upper section, a crosshead iixed to the upper end of said staff and slidably mounted on said upper section and including a hand grip portion and a latch carrying member spaced below said grip portion, said upper section including upright members having openings therein4 and adapted to be rotated to selectively present said openings in latching position, and latch means on said latch carrying member including bolts and spring means for automatically extending said bolts into said openings upon movement of said crosshead into predetermined positions, and means for re-.

tracting said bolts.

SILVEY A. JACOBUCCI. 

